


Surrey Surreal's Strawberry Jam

by SimpleAnthology



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Child Neglect, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Severitus | Severus Snape is Harry Potter's Parent, Severus Snape Adopts Harry Potter, Severus Snape Has a Heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:02:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23704321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimpleAnthology/pseuds/SimpleAnthology
Summary: Running out of his favorite jam leads Severus Snape to one magical little boy. Not only does his life get changed but the disposition of his future is dramatically altered. Adventure, intrigue, and some light meddling will change his fate and his outlook on the mundane life he once led.
Comments: 30
Kudos: 135





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus Snape is dramatic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys! I’m back! I'm rewriting this lol. Ch 1 is rewritten and I will be updating the next two chapters in the next two days as well! This fic literally has no concrete direction that I know of at the moment so I’m going with the flow: hi, plot holes and AU. Please enjoy! Ch 2 and 3 are not yet rewritten but are in the process and will be updated in the next few days. Ps. I enjoy fluff and feel good stuff haha. Okay, enjoy! Happy to be back! Barely know how to use AO3 but I will learn!

The imminent quarter life crises Severus Snape, son of Eileen and Tobias Snape, is about to experience will be written down in the newly revised Hogwarts: A History. _Hear ye, hear ye lies Severus Snape, washed up Slytherin reject!_

He should have gone with his mother to Soho.

When she announced to him the sudden and honestly quite impressive divorce from his father during his sixth year at Hogwarts, moving in with a swinger’s couple as well as a young woman who seemingly is caught in the throes of writing but hasn’t any published works he’s attempted to find, and started selling leather handbags, he was in all fairness too busy to entertain Malfoy’s fervent insistencies of meeting some certain Riddle fellow.

Who, in shocking turns of events, ended up being a fucking dark lord (which he absolutely refuses to think of in upper case, damnit!) and murdering his former best friend and her husband which resulted in their apparently missing child. Seriously, what the absolute fuck.

Said Slytherin reject has been staring soberly at the yellowed water stained ceiling the last hour and for a moment, just so faintly, he thinks of painting over it. Since his father found haven with his family living fuck knows where and mum in Soho, he’s laid claim to this downtrodden home on Spinner’s end. His only livelihood being mail order potions, a strange amount cosmetic now that he thinks on it, he’s had no time in the upkeep of his childhood home and has left it as is. The only change was moving into his parent’s master (ha!) suite.

His ceiling gazing is abruptly interrupted when sharp, jarring pecking fills the stuffy and stifling humid room, and he groans as his quiet Sunday is disrupted. Head thick like molasses, he attempts to move his head to the window but gives up and instead returns his gaze to the ceiling–

Jaysus! He abruptly he pushes himself up, startling the tawny speckled owl flapping angrily outside his window. It angrily hoots at him, and he glares back in answer as his long legs consume the admittedly short distance from bed to window. Yanking open the often-stiff window, he sputters as flurry of feathers rains upon his head.

“Hey! Watch it!” he yelps with only the response of an angry hoot. A letter falls to the ground and beady eyes watch him waiting for payment. Looking around for something to feed it, he finds a plate of half-eaten toast and rips a corner off. Satisfied, it flies away in a flurry of flustered wings.

Severus slams the window shut and flinches when the sharp clang sends a sharp jolt of pain though his temple. He quickly picks up the letter, not bothering to look at it, and tosses the sealed letter onto the side table as he throws himself back into his cooling bed and burrows his head into the damp pillow. It's difficult to fall asleep - the weather is disgustingly set against him and any peace of life that he hopes to maintain one day.

Still, he pushes his head further into the pillow. He knows by now his hair must be matted down due to the wet heat and a persistent drop of sweat trickling down his back and in a huff of irritation, he blearily opens his eyes and flips over. Severus contemplates laying in another hour but the sharp pain in his stomach and impending loss of bladder forces him to the restroom where he blearily does his daily ablutions. Donned in only a pair of stupidly short shorts, he quickly treks his way down the creaking narrow stairs and into the spotless kitchenette.

All orange themed, of which he is extremely fond of, thank you! Painted over orange fridge, orange microwave, and orange detailed stove. Really, not the most original but good old Eileen made it work.

Severus starts the brew and as the coffee is being made, he slowly makes his way through making his breakfast. Toasted bread, one grapefruit, and …

"No, no," he hisses into the empty jam jar. The jam was out. Absolutely not, he thought vehemently, absolutely _not_. He quickly sorts through his cabinet and to his absolute dismay, there seems to be a shortage of jam.

What an absolute disaster. Severus knows he's being dramatic but to run out of Surrey's finest jam was strife against the happiness of Severus Snape.

Preposterous. He can't just eat dry toast. He hurries upstairs, changes for the day and apparates.

All the while, in his hurried pace, the sealed envelope addressed to future guardian of one Harry Potter lays undisturbed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And continuing...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2!

Severus looks up in apprehension at the large grocery store and tries to force down the little bit of apprehension that creeps up unsuspectingly on him. Muggles are milling in and out at a tense pace and he shudders at the amount of careless touch they share. The germs. Lord, the germs. His long fingers dig into his palms, and he takes a startlingly deep breath and releases it while releasing the strain in his fingers. _Severus_ , he thinks furiously, _you have this. In and out._

He nervously wets his lips as he enters the large, bustling store. The lights are nauseously bright and the aisles are organized like standing dominoes, ready to be tipped over by a child's clumsy fingers. Noticing the obnoxiously bright red grocery baskets to his right, he grabs one and tightens his hold on the handle. He becomes at ease when he realizes no one is really paying an iota of attention to him

Severus purses his lips and makes his way to the aisle that firmly states _Peanut Butter, Jam/Jelly, and Salad Dressing!_

Running his stained finger gently along the brightly colored labels until he stops at his jam of choice. Finally, he thinks gleefully. The label was a nice crisp yellow set against a clear jar that hosted the chunky red jam, and the blue script of _Surrey Surreal's Strawberry Jam_! was absolutely breathtaking. He places five jars into his basket and makes his way to aisle that has bread and baked goods. He's always liked a treat and he intends to use this day to collect his dues. He makes his way into the large area hosting pastries, freshly baked breads, and ready made birthday cakes and pauses abruptly.

A woman's shrill voice sharply cut through the quiet of this end of the grocery store, and he curls his lip.

He knows that voice or it sounds startlingly familiar.

"Vernon, did you get the loaves like I've asked you?" Vernon? Wait - Severus furrows his dark brows. _Holy shit._ Petunia-fucking-Dursley. He slowly turns his head trying to locate the voices. _Don't be obvious and ha!_ Severus slowly puts the loaf of bread down that he had in his hand. Quietly, he walks over and peaks around the corner and holy mother of Merlin.

"Putrid Petunia and her putrid family," he murmurs.

"Petunia, darling, you never told me you wanted the bread," a man's wheezing voice replies snappishly.

Good Lord, her voice is grating. "Vernon, dear, I'm positive I told you to get the bread, hm."

Severus takes in her obese husband. Jay-sus. He seems to not have changed from the five years Severus saw them prior. Oversized mustache that Severus swore he grew for the sake of trying to take attention from his jiggling jowls and beady blue eyes. He slides his gaze over to the Petunia's skeletal frame and narrows his eyes at her. She still looks as mean as whip. He remembers back to Lily's wedding and the amount of pleading Lily did just for her sister to watch her wedding. Petunia, in her rage and jealousy, refused to attend.

Shows how blood sometimes runs thin in some families.

His gaze sharply cuts to the high pitched voice of a child.

"I want this cake here!" Severus stared at the chubby, blond child. It can't be. Not Lily's son... The child's cheeks were flushed a vivid red, and the mouth was upturned in a pout. "Mummy, I said I want this cake here!" _Oh._

"Dudley, darling, mummy will get you the cake but be a patient dear." She turns and Severus blinks in surprise. Who's this? He didn't see him initially. "Boy, didn't you hear him? Go pick that cake right there and put it into the cart! Useless..." She ends her statement with a glare and muttering.

A little waif of a child stood there forlorn and Severus' eyes nearly bug out. Lord, there was no doubt about it. This was Lily's child. Replica of James but those eyes were his mother's and the iconic scar of The Boy Who Lived was a beacon that drew Severus' gaze to it. Severus feels pitted. He was supposed to be taken care of. _This._ This is everything against what was set in place.

The child, Harry, moves to get the cake and no. Absolutely fucking not. Not her kid. Severus can't understand why he's becoming fueled with this - this rage but he just can't explain it. To see her child so thin, no-practically malnourished, it shakes him. Even his clothes. Bloody hell. They got a stipend! He should not be wearing rags. Severus' eyes rove over the ragged jeans, must of been for that whale of a boy, and a disgusting gray sweater. They made him look skinnier than he and Severus' feels a lurch. Oh. The green eyes become shadowed by tears.

He looks so neglected. He doesn't know what drives him to do it but he moves away from behind the shelf and calls out, "Putrid Petunia and her family." He smirks at her when she startles at his voice. Her face pales when she takes him in. Severus feels an almost thrill at her disgust and the hatred that inflames her face a bright red.

"You!" she seethes, "You sniveling freak!" Her husband looks at Severus dumbfounded, not understanding his wife's ire or who this tall stranger is that's being yelled at by his surely wife. The boys looks startled. Potter is staring up at Severus with the beginning look of awe and Severus begins to have no doubt in mind that most of that ire that's being thrown at him is directed at Lily's son.

He looks back to Petunia and curls his lips into a mockery of a smile that he knows he pulls of well. "Petunia..." he drawls out her name. "What an absolute pleasure. I see you've been keeping busy and ... fit." At the word fit, he gives her husband and son a slow survey. Mirth ignites when her husband, Vernon, turns a shade of puce.

She takes a threatening step forward and tightly crosses her arms. "What are you doing here?" she spits at him.

Severus matches her step and crosses his arms to match her 'seemingly threatening' pose. "Can't a man go shopping? After all, it seems that your family has enough practice in that regard." She glares at him and Severus feels a sense of pity for Lily. To live with this vile creature and turn out the way Lily did is truly a miracle only the Lord was capable of accomplishing.

"Be quiet! All your kind is good at doing is infesting our normal lives - "

"Normal lives! You absolute bint. You dare speak to me, us, like that." Severus doesn't' even realize it, but his wand is clutched tightly in his hand and he seems unable to stop himself as he hisses at her, "he has a stipend! Look at him. You dress him in rags."

"Oh, like you're any better! You foisted one of your own onto us normal folk. Hypocrites! The whole lot of you!" She trembles in her rage. "You claim so strongly in your purity but when it comes to him, you throw him at me. The stipend was enough for dealing with this little freak."

Lily's son looks down to the ground and those eyes, Lily's eyes, fill up with tears again. Lord, he's a _fucking_ child. No child deserves to look so dejected. He's not even five years old for Christ's sake!

Severus cannot believe this woman's audacity. He is unable to comprehend the absolute vileness of what she just said. "Are you fucking kidding me?" She turns white. Good, let her quake. To make a child feel so insignificant is disgusting. "He's a child. Are you so jealous of Lily that you resort to this?"

"You don't know anything!" The walrus of a man interrupts. Severus does not have time to even look at him or deal with his abject stupidity. He casts a Silencio and smirks when the man starts sputtering. He glances at Harry and sees his eyes light up. He's unable to stomach the tear tracks. Severus will give his due. Ha, generally Severus gets his joy from other means but if it means giving a taste to this horrid family then so be it.

Petunia clenches her fists and yells, "Undo it! How dare you? You horrendous man!"

"Tuney, I thought you liked quiet. Don't you want a break?" He gazes at her, enraged. "Your sister is dead. Get over it and be a goddamn human for once and show some compassion."

She coils like a snake. "Compassion. You want compassion? Fine, I'm done."

What the hell is this bint on about? Done? "What do you mean done?"

"He's yours. He's not coming home with us. You're so concerned about him, well then, you can keep him." Her lips are white with how tight she presses them together. "Now, undo what you did to my husband."

Severus stares at her in shock. Is she _deluded_? What in the world is she on about? "No. Absolutely not." He looks over to the child and furrows his eyebrows in confusion. When did he get so close? The boy was nearer to his side then his aunt's family and it seems that no one in the store, with their load arguing, was paying attention. Literally it was as if they weren't even there.

"Petunia, you're being ridiculous." He doesn't have a chance to finish what he was saying before she spits at his feet and walks off hurriedly. Severus' wide eyes meet Vernon's and the silent man grabs his son's arm and follows her, leaving all their belongings strewn around. Severus stares in bafflement at the muggles milling around not noticing. What the hell is going on?

He turns his attention back to the small boy staring up at him with wide eyes. Swallowing pass a dry throat, he kneels down and smiles gently. Or he thinks it's friendly. "Harry, hello. My name is Severus Snape, and I am a friend of your mummy. I know that we were yelling in a scary way and I'm sorry. I'm… uh… I'm a wizard?"

He flinches at his hesitance and can feel his pride curling at his uncertainty. He's usually confident and it shouldn't be a small child that unravels it. But Potter isn't making it easy.

The narrow face scrunches in confusion and after a few seconds, his pale face relaxes and instead, he shrugs thin shoulders. He continues gazing at Severus. Why isn't he reacting to the fact that he's a wizard? Sighing quietly, Severus asks, "may I take you to a safe place?"

This is not normal. _This is not normal._ To ask to take a child, who was just abandoned, and trek his way to Hogwarts is odd. More than odd. _But he had no choice!_

"Yes, please." A soft, raspy voice answers. "I don't want to go back. Stay with you, please." The little boy comes closer until his feet bump into Severus' knees. "You're like me? Freak?"

Severus clenches his teeth together tightly and resits grinding them together. He quickly answers, "No. No, not at all! We're wizards, Harry. Magical and no one is like us in this world. You're aunt isn't right. You're not a burden or a freak."

The little boy gasped and his eyes filled half his face with how large they widened. Oh. He's cute and Severus feels a rush course through his chest. Protect. Protect. _Protect._ It thrums through his chest like a beat. He can't leave this boy with them. He just can't. The child seems to have been through so much and to leave him with this hateful family want to destroy his innocence and his health. Harry whispers, "Magic? I'm not magic."

"No, you are," whispers Severus. "You're an incredibly magical little boy and you're so important, Harry. I promise you I will help you and find you somewhere safe to live. But I need to know, are you hurt right now? Do you feel hurt anywhere on your body?"

The little boy flushes and slowly closes the distance between them so that little hands touch his chest. He brings his face close to Severus', and Severus' has to fight the urge to flinch back. He's so confused though. Aren't children supposed to be fearful of strangers? Of violence? Severus didn't know what to think to be honest, and he knew that it would be detrimental to not get Minerva and Madame Pomfrey involved. He's become much closer to them after joining the board at Hogwarts and he new they cared.

"I'm not hurt. But you knew my mummy? I don't want to go back to them, please. Don't make me go back." He was so close that his whispers were ghosting across Severus' face. Severus wanted to jerk back but he knew that would be too abrupt and he didn't want to scare the boy.

Severus grasps the tiny forearms. "Harry, I'm not going to make you go back. I just need to know more. This is very sudden but I'm going to get you help." He feels apprehension. He just doesn't know how to approach this kind of situation. "We need to go, okay. I'm going to get my stuff and we're going to go to my home. You will be safe."

The little boy shyly nods and wraps his arms around Severus' neck and burrows his face into the warm skin of Severus' neck. He's never been hugged so tightly. Severus holds his breath in trepidation and comes to a decision. This child will be cared for and will live in the comfort that Lily and Potter meant for him. No more. To feel the warmth of this child and to know only a glimpse of the hatred was shown to him made Severus seethe.

"Okay, Harry. I'm going to pick you up. Is that okay?" Again, the little boy nods his head, and Severus cradled him to his chest and stood up. His heart lurched when the child let out a little 'oh' at being carried so high. "Is this high? I promise I won't drop you."

A little hand tightens on his nape and a small sigh escapes his mouth. "No, I like this. I was never pickeded up before. You feel strong."

Severus tightens his arms around this suddenly precious boy. He was never one for kids, there was just not much interest for him to be around them or have them but this moment right here. This boy. It was all changing. Securing an arm under the small rump and cradling the fragile back, Severus strolled out of the shop.

Not a single person noticed the tall man, the small boy, and the glaring red basket holding a simple joy leave the store. After all, it was only another Saturday morning at Surrey's Grocery Delight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah! lol I think he low-key kidnapped Harry.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And continuing...

Severus Snape, with the small bundle of boy in his arms, lands with a soft thump onto the worn down asphalt street leading up to his home. He winces when his ankles twinge in pain, but he quickly straightens himself up. He glances down at Harry, and sees the his usually large eyes are pursed tightly. _Shit._ He tightens his arms and bounces him gently to get his attention. "Harry, look at me. It's okay."

The tightly squeezed eyes spring open. "I'm okay, mister!" Severus startles. Well, that was quick turn around. The little legs wrapped around his waist clench, only a second later, and he spews warm vomit down Severus' right arm and onto his boots. _Well, shit._

"Oh no!" his high pitched voice warbles. The large green eyes well with tears, and Severus feels a pang of something curl in his abdomen. He doesn't want to put time to ponder what that something is until he traces a lone tear trace down the sallow cheeks. That pang of something is making him nauseas.

He cradles Harry tighter to himself and the little face furrows into his chest. He rocks him side to side and abruptly makes his way to the his bleak home, long stride eating away at pavement quickly. "It's okay. Don't cry, I'm not upset!"

"But I pukeded on you," he wails, his voice muffled. "That's bad!"

"Did you mean it though?"

A little sniffle and, "no..."

"Then how is bad?"

Another sniffle. "...'cause I'm bad. Auntie 'Tuney says so."

Severus' lip curls at that blasted woman. "Well, you're not bad because I say so. And my word is final." The moment he finishes his sentence, he feels the little nose digging into his chest wipe discretely. He grimaces but also strokes a hand down the small back. "We'll figure things out."

They finally arrive to his modestly austere home, and he quickly enters through the dark, heavy metal front door. The hallway leading to the kitchen is dark, and he flicks on the light switch which dimly lights up the hallway. He worries it's too dreary. It is what it is. He makes his way to the kitchen and sets his the jam... shit! He didn't pay for them. _Oh well._

Severus stands in the middle of the garish kitchen and isn't sure what he's supposed to do now. He's 25 and has acquired a child. Not even through legal means. Good heavens. But onto more important matters. "Well, Harry, are you hungry?" he asks gently.

The messy haired child escapes from his safe haven that is Severus' chest and peeks up at him with large eyes. Severus can't look away from his gaze and he smiles gently at him. He receives a small, chapped lip smile in return. A small voice murmurs,"you don't gotta feed me, mister."

A ferocious anger surges through him but he maintains a calm facade. He quickly responds with a gentle tone, "But, Harry, I'm hungry. I'd feel awfully sad to eat by myself. Would you please join me?"

A potent silence and then, "you're hungry?"

"Extremely hungry. I'd be so sad eating by myself."

"Sad?"

"Yes, incredibly so." He jostles the light load in his arms. "How about some toast and jam?"

He receives a large gaped tooth smile and a vigorous nod. He doesn't know what compelled him to do so but he swoops down and places a firm kiss to the top of that messy hair. He hears a soft gasp and the frail, thin arms wrap tighter around him. Severus' chest aches and he can't get himself to separate from the boy so he continues to tightly clutch him. He no longer can argue that this is because this child is Lily's son but it's what he sees in this child. The same starvation for attention that he once he had when he was a child.

After a long moment, he pulls back and with a knot in his throat says, "how about it?" He receives another vigorous nod. _Ah, there it is._

He strides over to the small, wooden table surrounded by a single lone chair and places the child down onto it. He's met with some resistance at first and he strokes down the small back until the shockingly strong arms release him. "Sorry, mister." A stark blush spreads across the sallow cheeks and the child bites his lips.

"It's okay, Harry. I just need you to sit for a short time while I make us some toast." He smiles once more at the child and makes his way to the bread box. He quickly makes their lunch and sets the table. "I'm going to grab an extra chair, I'll be a moment." He abruptly turns away but -

"No! Wait!" He scurries off the chair and clings to Severus' leg. "I wanna stay with you. Please."

Severus pauses. He was just planning on transfiguring any plain object into a chair but he didn't want to create any unease with the child by revealing too much magic to him yet without explaining magic in depth. "I won't be but a moment."

"No, please!" Severus winces when he feels sharp, bony fingers dig into his thigh. "Take me with you!" His voice raises into a wail and Severus' eyes widen. He did initially suspect the child had attachment issues with the whole going off with a random man but he was shocked. He was only going off a few feet away.

"Harry, I'm only going to be in the next room over." He attempts to placate him without success.

"No! I'm good, please!" At this point, Severus' sighs and heaves him up to rest on a hip. Immediately, the thin arms wrap tightly around his neck and a chapped kiss lands on his cheek. Oh. The green eyes frantically meet dark, hooded eyes and they stand still watching each other.

Severus breaks eye contact first and desperately looks around the room. He's in over his head. Oh god, he's genuinely in over his head. _Be calm!_

"Are you okay now?" _Am I okay now?_

A frantic nod. _He internally nods._

_Hm._

He silently treks to the living room and grabs the chair tucked in by his desk. It's become suffocatingly silent. He can feel the fixated gaze. He nearly struggles dragging the chair to the kitchen with one arm but he somehow manages. He once more places Harry onto his chair and is once more met with resistance.

Huffing, he slumps onto his desk chair and after a moment, Harry becomes comfortable in his lap. The both stare at the now cold toast with the thick spread of jam and Severus uses a finger to drag the plate to them.

"Well, dig in."

Harry didn't need a second prompt. He swipes a piece off the plate and happily munches, leaning his back against Severus' chest.

Severus' breath hitches and he starts to mentally write a letter.

_Minerva,_

_I may have acquired..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IDK what do ya'll think?


End file.
